The Boys at the Bakery
by Angelic Land
Summary: Hideki Motosuwa and Hiroyasu Ueda's friendship in further detail. It begins very slowly and their relationship will grow. Will it be romance? You will have to follow the story to see what happens.
1. Chapter 1

Hideki was on the early shift at his job, so he had time to walk through town on his way home. Chiroru Patisserie, the bakery where he used to work, stayed open until five o'clock, so he decided to stop by and say hello to his old boss, Hiroyasu Ueda.

As Hideki turned the corner onto the street where Chiroru was, he could already smell the aroma of baked goods. Ueda-san sometimes left a cart filled with mini cakes and croissants outside the bakery window to attract passersby.

Hideki must have hit the early evening rush of customers, buying their ingredients to make dinner, and tasty treats for dessert, because when he walked into the patisserie, it was full of people waiting to be helped. Ueda-san was running in and out of the kitchen, filling everyone's orders. When he finally noticed Hideki, Hideki said,

"Good evening, Ueda-san. May I give you a hand, since you're so busy?"

"I've got it all under control, but thanks for offering," Ueda-san said, as three more customers walked in. "On second thought… Sure!"

Hideki got behind the counter as quickly as he could, pushing his way through the crowded store.

When he got his bearings, he called,

"I can help the next customer, please!"

A woman with long, brown hair stepped up and said,

"Hello sir, I would like to have three of those," as she pointed towards a row of chocolate roll cakes, iced with a tan, hazelnut frosting.

Hideki reached into the glass dessert case and pulled them out with a piece of wax paper, then placing them in a box with a label that read: "Chiroru Patisserie" on it.

"Will that be all?" Hideki asked the woman.

"Yes, thank you very much," she responded, as Hideki placed the box on a scale.

Then, Ueda-san came rushing out of the kitchen with two mixed dessert platters, wrapped in colored cellophane plastic. He put them down on the counter to the right of Hideki, where a man was waiting to pick them up. He thanked Ueda-san and handed him a big bill while saying,

"Keep the change, sir, and give your helper a good tip," as he left the bakery.

After helping several more customers, Ueda-san and Hideki were finally able to have a normal conversation.

"It seems like business is doing really well, Ueda-san," Hideki said.

"Sure is; sometimes it gets a little overwhelming, actually. Take tonight, for example. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't shown up," said the baker.

"I'm glad I could help out," said Hideki, cheerfully.

"If you wouldn't mind thinking about it, I could really use another employee here during the week," said Ueda-san.

"Once my college entrance exams are over, I would definitely like to come back and work here!" Hideki exclaimed. "Right now, cram school has been my main priority."

"It would be fantastic to have you back, but school is much more important for someone your age. So, drop by again sometime if you'd like, and let me know when you'll have time to start here again."

"Of course! I always love coming here. First of all, it smells heavenly, and second, I always enjoy talking to you. I don't usually have time to socialize anymore. After next week, cram school is over. Two weeks from now is when all my testing will take place," said Hideki.

"That's coming up, so good luck to you! I'm sure you'll do just fine. You're a hard worker, and very bright," said Ueda-san, encouragingly.

"Thank you," Hideki replied. "I just hope I pass them, actually. They're becoming more and more rigorous each year, as far as I know. See you soon," he said, as he started towards the door.

"Wait, before you go, I have to give you something for your time helping me out just now," said Ueda-san, presenting Hideki with some money.

"Please don't- I was just doing it as a favor, you don't need to pay me," Hideki insisted.

"Well, I have to give you something for your time; I can't just let you leave without any compensation," said Ueda-san, putting a few handfuls of shortbread cookies into a box. "This is about all that's left! I'm going to have to come in early tomorrow and get baking, because pretty much everything has sold out," he said, as he handed the box to Hideki. "At least have these."

"Thank you for the cookies. I can't argue when it comes to sweets," said Hideki, happily. "See you!" He called, as he left the bakery.

-Please R&R- ;D


	2. Chapter 2

It was starting to get a little darker, and all the street lamps were lit up. It was indeed quite a beautiful city when nightfall came.

Hideki sighed, as he sat down to take off his shoes in his apartment.

"That was a long day. My feet are killing me," he said to himself, as he rubbed the arch of his foot.

When Hideki realized he had gotten pretty sweaty from working in the patisserie, he went into the bathroom to take a shower. He turned on the water, let it run for a minute, and undressed. Although Hideki didn't particularly enjoy looking at himself in the mirror, he did it anyways. There wasn't much that came to his mind, except for looking somewhat physically fit.

When steam began rising over the shower curtain, Hideki got in, feeling his muscles begin to relax, as the hot water hit his nicely toned body. He let his thoughts freely wander; eventually settling on the topic of going back to work at Chiroru.

As he closed his eyes, he pictured the bakery, the pastries, the friendly customers and of course, Ueda-san. Hideki felt comfortable working there, and he knew he would always be in good company.

Reaching for a lightly colored bottle, Hideki remembered his, rather secretive, favorite almond scented shampoo. Whenever he was in the store buying it, he would have to go right through the cosmetics section, where lots of women trying out different products shop. Hideki always made it a point to move swiftly through there, simply to grab his favorite shampoo and then get out as quickly as possible, because for him, it was really embarrassing to be seen shopping in the bath and body and beauty section.

However, the slight embarrassment in the store became well worth it when opening that bottle. Hideki popped the lid off, and let the heavenly amaretto essence fill the steamy air. He poured some into his hands and ran it through his hair, causing it to foam up. Everything smelled so wonderful after that, as Hideki watched the rest of the soap run down his legs. If it weren't for the water bill, he would have stayed in the shower for hours.

After he dried himself off, Hideki softly drifted off to sleep in his comfortable, cloud-like bed.

Awakening bright and early the next morning, Hideki had to get ready for cram school. His aim was to buckle down and get through the last stretch of days he had before taking the entrance exams, so he maintained a good sense of self-discipline.

When he arrived at school, there was a notice taped to the inside of the door. It read: "All scheduled classes canceled today due to an urgent faculty budget meeting."

Since Hideki was the only one in the class without a computer, he hadn't gotten the email notification that informed everyone about the cancellation of class on short notice.

"Well, I guess I'm off the hook, at least for the day. It'll be nice having a day off," said Hideki, starting back in the direction towards his apartment building.

"I wonder if Ueda-san is open this early," he said, as he was walking by Chiroru.

Hideki looked in the window. The door was locked, but Ueda-san was inside baking. When he heard Hideki knock, he looked out from the kitchen doors and saw Hideki standing there.

"Hey, Hideki, what brings you here this morning?" Ueda-san said, letting Hideki in.

"School was canceled for some reason, and I walked all the way there without even knowing about it! So I figured I'd stop by again if you were here. I didn't mean to interrupt your work; I know you've got work to do," said Hideki, politely.

"Actually, I'm nearly finished baking this morning. I've been here for two hours already. There's just one more batch of sponge cake in the oven that I'm waiting for. It's for a tiramisu that a customer ordered for pick-up this afternoon," said Ueda-san.

"How do you make all these delicious creations?" Asked Hideki. "It's a really awesome talent."

"I went to culinary school years ago, before I opened the patisserie, and I ended up focusing my training on baking towards the end. For some reason, I get a lot of enjoyment out of it. I treat baking as if it is an art form. The presentation is always equally important to the taste; otherwise, it doesn't appeal to the eye nearly as much," said Ueda-san. "I'm glad you have an appreciation for my passion. When others eat together, it feels good to know that there is still some time that people a lot for face-to-face conversation. You know? At least, that's what I get out of it."

"Wow. I have never really thought of it in that way before, but you're right. Sharing quality time with friends and family in this day and age is becoming less and less, due to all the other quick and easy methods of communicating with one another. I can't afford a computer or a cell phone, so I don't relate to the rest of the students my age as much," said Hideki. "In that aspect, I suppose it's a good thing, because at least I haven't lost the ability to hold a conversation, such as this one, that the two of us are having right now," he continued.

"I meant to ask… How long have you owned Chiroru?"

R & R! ;D


	3. Chapter 3

*This chapter is dedicated to Hylianshadow86 because of the lovely story he wrote for me!* Go check out his stories! If you like this pairing, he has written the only other Ueda and Hideki story on the site that exists!

...

"I opened almost ten years ago, when I had just established my career as a pastry chef. It's hard to believe how rapidly time passes by. I'm turning thirty-nine at the end of the year!" Responded Ueda-san.

"Wait, seriously?! I honestly thought you were maybe twenty-five at the most! I didn't know you were in business for that long, either," said Hideki, in great surprise.

"Oh, it looks like it's time to take out the cake," said Ueda-san, glancing up at the clock on the wall. You can come in the back if you'd like, unless you've got places to be and people to see," he continued, as he went into the kitchen, followed by Hideki.

There were wracks of cooling pies, cakes, and all sorts of delicious desserts waiting for Ueda-san to put them out for the day.

"You're welcome to try something. I'd like to know what you think," said Ueda-san, motioning to Hideki to taste his fresh pastries.

Since his stomach had been growling all morning, Hideki took a big croissant off the wire baking wrack, and started eating it right away.

"Wow! This tastes amazing," exclaimed Hideki.

"Thanks," said Ueda-san, smiling. "I have been trying to perfect my croissants for years."

"Ueda-san, do you ever take a day off every now and again? Each time I see you, you're in here either baking or waiting on customers," asked Hideki.

"Come to think of it, I almost never do. On holidays I sometimes close the shop, but I usually have to come in and prep for the next day, anyways," replied Ueda-san. "Why do you ask?"

"I don't mean to be rude, asking you a personal question, but have you ever been married?" Asked Hideki, blushing slightly. "I'm sorry, I probably should have thought that question out a little more carefully before I decided to ask you," he added.

"No, don't be sorry. I actually was married once. It was only for a year, but our relationship just didn't work out," answered Ueda-san, shaking his head back and forth slightly.

"Oh, I'm sorry for even bringing it up. It's just that I know how much time you spend here at Chiroru, and it made me wonder if you had someone to share your life with," said Hideki.

"Unfortunately, no, and it's been five years since my ex-wife and I got divorced. It wasn't a violent breakup by any means, or even a really painful one. I knew first, and then we both knew that our relationship simply wasn't going to work. After that, I dived heavily into my work, here at the patisserie. I used to only do private catering by appointment, but after the divorce, I opened up full time as a store," said Ueda-san.

"Well, as far as I know, having a divorce isn't ever easy. Even if the emotional aspect of it were nonchalant and mutual, it is still a grand change in a person's life, I would imagine. Your bakery became your coping mechanism, and I think that's wonderful. The only other thing I suggest that you do is consider taking time off every once in a while, just so you don't exhaust yourself. Oh, I didn't even realize that I'm lecturing you, Ueda-san. Again, I must not have been thinking before I spoke," said Hideki, apologetically.

"It's alright, Hideki. For some reason, it feels good talking to you about this. It's nice to have an outside listener every so often. It helps to clear my mind and re-group when too much builds up inside, so thank you for bringing up the subject, even though you didn't know its significance," said Ueda-san.

"I honestly didn't know, but if you ever need to get something off your chest, I'm all ears," Hideki said, smiling.

"You're a great kid, Hideki. I hope you realize that there aren't a whole lot of genuinely caring, responsible people like yourself, out there," said Ueda-san, with sincerity.

"There is no need for you to say such flattering-"

"But I mean it. I would never say something that I don't believe is true, especially to you," said Ueda-san, interrupting Hideki, as he looked directly into his deep, comforting eyes; almost as if he was becoming lost in them.

Hideki really didn't know what to say, or how to react at all. His face turned a little bit red, as he opened his mouth to speak.

"I should probably get going now. Since I don't have class, I need to use the rest of my time off to get some grocery shopping and studying done this afternoon."

"Alright, and I've got to open up the shop anyways, but thanks for stopping by again. It's always a pleasure," said Ueda-san.

"Catch you later," said Hideki, as he walked out of the patisserie.

R & R! :D


	4. Chapter 4

(A/N): Here is chapter four! It is a little bit "lemon-scented..."

It was only nine a.m., but the sidewalks were already packed with crowds of people going about their daily routines. Hideki was thinking about how he left off his conversation with Ueda-san.

_That felt so awkward for some reason. I don't know why, but I just started getting nervous. Ueda-san seemed so serious; it really caught me off guard, if that's what it was. _

_When I think of Ueda-san, I picture a strong, tall, confident person. I can't put my finger on what exactly it is about Ueda-san, but he's different. Somehow, I get a good feeling about that. Come to think of it, I don't even know why I'm thinking so much about him. I know that he and I just had a rather tense conversation, but it's stressing me out._

When Hideki got back to his apartment, he was starting to feel a little bit horny. He put his backpack down next to the door, and took his shoes off. Then, the hormonal teenager went into his bedroom and stripped down to his underwear, feeling his cock start to grow as he stuck one hand down his pants and wrapped it around his average-sized penis. At this point, Hideki couldn't help but think of Ueda-san. No matter how hard he tried not to think of him in a sexual way, it simply wasn't going to work. If anything, the boy knew he thought his boss was attractive, and was pleasuring himself over the fantasizing thought of what Ueda's body looked like under his white uniform and apron. Clearly, Ueda-san was tall, muscular, and devilishly handsome.

Hideki determined that from just looking at the man. Just thinking about that made Hideki hard.

"Mmm," Hideki moaned, as he pulled his underwear off completely, beginning to pump his fully erect manhood.

_I'll bet Ueda-san's dick would feel amazing inside me. It's probably pretty big, too. I wonder how he'd taste..._

As Hideki continued thinking dirty thoughts about his boss, he could feel himself getting closer and closer to his climax. The aroused boy's pre-cum was already starting to wet the tip of his member.

Hideki pumped harder, thrusting himself into his hand a few more times before he was ready to cum.

"Nyggh!" Hideki grunted, as he released his hot seed, dirtying the sheets on his bed.

This time, thinking about Ueda-san, Hideki noticed how there was much more in him than he had thought.

Coming down from the height of the pleasure, Hideki collapsed on his bed to catch his breath.

After that, he threw his bedclothes in the wash, and got in the shower. As usual, he opened up the bottle of amaretto shampoo, and smelled it. Hideki poured some into his hands, and then lathered it all over his body.

"Ahh," he sighed, taking a deep breath. After thinking about his boss in such an immodest fashion, Hideki felt a little bit let down.

_I probably shouldn't_ _be thinking these steamy thoughts about a thirty-eight year old. He's just so cute though! How am I supposed to ignore that? _

R & R! ;D


	5. Chapter 5

(A/N): I have finally organized myself enough to get this chapter all fixed up and posted. Enjoy chapter five!

After Hideki got cleaned up, he studied for a couple of hours, and then went out to go to the supermarket. Since he didn't have a lot of money, Hideki always bought what was on sale. This time, it happened to be chicken.

_This looks really good, thought the boy_.

Hideki then checked out, and started heading back towards his apartment.

When he got there, Miss Hibiya, the owner of the building, was pacing outside her door. She had long, dark hair that almost reached down past her back. She was probably in her thirties, already a widow. She never talked about her husband. The only thing that anyone knew about him was that he'd passed away fairly recently. Other than the air of mystery that shrouded Miss Hibiya, she was one of the nicest people that Hideki had ever met.

"Hello, Miss Hibiya," said Hideki. "Did you misplace something?"

"Good afternoon, Hideki," she said in response. "Actually, I did lose something. I seem to have misplaced my key. I have my car keys, but the one to my apartment is missing."

"I'll help you look for it," the teen said, putting his shopping bag down.

"Thank you very much, Hideki. I appreciate it. I parked my car on the other side of the building, so the key would most likely be somewhere between here and there, although I've been searching for almost a half an hour already, and haven't been able to find anything. Two sets of eyes are better than one, though."

Miss Hibiya continued searching around her corridor; down on her hands and knees, while Hideki made his way over to where her car was parked.

_ Where could a key possibly have fallen_? Thought the boy.

The pathway was made of cement, and was riddled with cracks. Hideki got down on all fours and looked under railings, in between crevices, and anywhere in his capability of perception.

Several minutes passed, and neither of the two had come up with anything, except discarded coins and scraps of miscellaneous trash. The last place Hideki thought to check was under the car. Unfortunately, the key was not there either.

The boy suddenly got an idea, so he went into his own apartment, climbed out onto the balcony, and then thought for a moment, as he gauged the distance he'd have to jump in order to land on Miss Hibiya's balcony.

He got a running start, then jumping as far as he could. Hideki cleared the metal railings on his landlady's veranda by just a hair.

"Made it," panted Hideki, feeling his heart beating like he'd just ran a marathon.

Then, he opened the sliding glass door, went through Miss Hibiya's spotless, beautiful, home, and then unlocked the front door. The landlady was still looking for her key, as she saw Hideki step out of her doorway.

"How did you do that?" The woman exclaimed, in delight. "Thank you Hideki!" She continued to cheer.

"It was no trouble. I had to jump over a couple of balconies, but after that, it was as easy as opening a door. Neither of us found the key, so I hope you've got a spare inside," said Hideki.

"Yes, I have one," she said. "I must do something to thank you. How about staying for dinner?" Miss Hibiya asked.

"You don't need to thank me. Just letting me live here for a student discount is more than enough," said Hideki.

"Please, I insist. It's really no trouble," she pleaded.

"Alright, it's a deal," Hideki said, smiling. "Let me go put my groceries away, and I'll be right back."

After he put his chicken in the fridge, Hideki thought,

_ I guess this means I can save this for tomorrow night, then. That's one less meal I'll have to scrounge for!_

Over at Hibiya's place, Hideki asked,

"Do you need any help cooking?"

Miss Hibiya was making a stir-fry for their dinner. All the ingredients were fresh, and Hideki was already starting to salivate.

"I think everything's under control, but thanks for offering. You're so polite, Hideki. Do you have all the pretty girls flocking around you at school?" Miss Hibiya teased.

Letting out a stifled sigh, Hideki said: "Not really. I don't have a girlfriend."

"Is that so? Do you have a crush on anyone? Please forgive me if I'm prying too much. I'm a bit of a romantic," she said, blushing.

Hideki sat in silence for a moment before answering. He began to feel like he was going to cry.

"I think I do, but I'm starting to realize that I'm a rock caught in a hard place," he answered.

"Everybody's got problems with love when they're young, Hideki. You'll make a girl very happy someday when you find her," said Miss Hibiya, trying to comfort the boy.

After hearing those words, Hideki could feel himself having to hold back tears. He couldn't pretend to ignore what he'd just heard. It felt like such a slap in the face. He couldn't pretend to look like he was okay, either.

"Hideki? Are you alright? I'm sorry if I said anything that upset you. I can see you're in pain. What's the matter?"

Trying to compose himself as best as he could, Hideki said:

"Miss Hibiya, you don't seem to understand a crucial point in relation to my situation. I'm going to tell you the truth, but please don't say anything harsh."

The looks on both of their faces became very grave, as Hideki began to open up.

"I'm not crushing on a _girl_," Hideki said, slowly letting the tears run down his cheeks.

"Oh, Hideki! I'm so sorry. I-I-I didn't mean for any of what I said to-"

"It's alright. You had no idea I was dealing with this. I wasn't really sure at first, when I had originally began working at Chiroru, but over time, I just couldn't deny the fact that I was suppressing feelings for my boss, Ueda-san. I know I have feelings for him, and I know he's a man, and a lot older than me, but none of that matters when I think about the soft warmth in my heart that I feel towards him."

Miss Hibiya didn't know what to say, at first, but she turned off the stove and went right up to Hideki, who was crying again, and pulled him into a caring embrace.

Wiping the tears from his eyes, Hibiya said:

"Hideki, you're very strong. Not everyone has the strength to bear such deep emotion, especially at your age. It must hurt a great deal to have to hold in your feelings."

"I'm going to tell him how I feel, eventually. I just don't know how to. And, most of all, how is he going to react? I wish I had the power to at least know whether or not he would take it well. I don't even know if he is into guys. I don't even know _that_."

"Does he suspect how you feel towards him?" Asked Miss Hibiya.

"I doubt it. And to be honest, I've never gotten this upset about it before. I don't know how much longer I'm going to be able to hide my feelings from Ueda-san for. Every time I talk to him, I get so tense, it feels like I'm going to be crushed by the weight of the air surrounding me."

R & R ! :D


	6. Chapter 6

After that, Hideki couldn't remember any of the rest of his conversation with Miss Hibiya. The only sense of accomplishment he felt from confiding in her was the fact that he was able to vocalize at least some of his pain. Getting it off his chest didn't make him feel any better, but it did put his hardship into words; something he'd never really been able to do before.

The next morning, as Hideki was getting ready for school, he noticed a white envelope at the foot of his front door. It was a note from Miss Hibiya.

_Dear Hideki, _

_I know that I'm only your landlady, but please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you're having a rough time. I don't have any children of my own; however, I know for sure that if you were my own, I wouldn't want to see you suffering. Even though you're not, I still don't want you to have to be in so much distraught. You've got enough on your plate with school to be worried about. Adding acceptance of your sexuality to the mix doesn't make things any easier for you. _

_I just wanted to let you know that I can be someone you can come to when you need support. Helping people I care about, especially if their intentions are as honest and sincere as yours, I believe is something amazing; almost a like a calling to me, perhaps. _

_-Miss Hibiya_

As Hideki finished reading the letter, he felt as if humanity had the potential to be so much greater. If only there were more people that were in touch with the ability to truly care for others, or simply think of others instead of themselves. He went over to her apartment to thank her, but she wasn't home.

On his way back from school, Hideki stopped to buy a bouquet of flowers for Miss Hibiya as thanks. He didn't have time to go into Chiroru, like he often did, but he walked past, waving to Ueda-san who was behind the counter.

Ueda-san noticed that Hideki held a bouquet of pink flowers.

_I wonder who he's giving those to…_He thought.

Hideki left the flowers in a plastic vase on a windowsill outside Miss Hibiya's door, because she was still out.

Meanwhile, Ueda-san was getting ready to close up the shop for the day. He turned the sign from "open" to "closed," and then finished wiping down the counters and sweeping the floor.

When everything was in its place in preparation for the next day, Ueda-san was finally able to change out of his uniform and into a pair of light jeans and a pullover. He stepped into the cool evening air, and locked the door.

Looking into a window box full of carnations in bloom as he was walking to the parking garage where he kept his car, Ueda-san remembered when Hideki had walked by earlier, holding the bouquet.

As Ueda-san was driving home, he hit a pothole. His tire went flat after feeling the car suddenly jolt to the left side of the street. Luckily, no one was in the oncoming lane. The car drifted up onto the grass on the side of the road, and that was the best the man could do to get the car out of traffic's way. He looked around trying to find his cell phone but it was dead. He got a flashlight out of the glove box and walked around the car making sure there wasn't any damage. The spare tire was missing from the car, so Ueda-san couldn't change it himself.

It was dark now, and Miss Hibiya was pulling into the apartment complex, as she noticed a stranded car across the street. Ueda-san noticed her, and walked across the street to ask if he could borrow her phone.

"Excuse me, miss. My tire just went flat. May I borrow your phone?" Asked Ueda-san, politely.

"Of course, please come in. The phone is right over here," she said, directing the man to the phone on the table in the hallway.

As he entered the building, he walked past the vase of pink flowers on Miss Hibiya's windowsill, immediately recognizing them.

"Thank you so much," he said, picking up the phone to call a tow truck.

When he'd finished giving the man on the other line the directions to come pick up his car, Ueda-san asked the kind woman:

"May I ask where the flowers came from, miss?"

"Oh, I didn't even notice them!" She replied, as she went over and brought the vase inside, reading the small note attached to it that read:

"Thank you, Miss H."

"Ah. They're from one of my tenants. A boy named Hideki. Why do you ask?"

"So I was right," Ueda-san said. "Hideki works at my patisserie, and I saw him walk by with the flowers earlier this afternoon. I didn't know he lived so close by."

"Hideki had mentioned he had a job at a bakery before, but I didn't know which one he meant. My name is Chitose Hibiya, by the way. I'm Hideki's landlady."

"Oh, please excuse me for not introducing myself! I'm Hiroyasu Ueda, owner of Chiroru Patisserie, and its great to meet you."

Hearing his name, a sudden chill ran down Miss Hibiya's spine when she realized that the handsome man standing before her was exactly who Hideki had an enormous crush on.

"It's-it's nice to meet you too," said Hibiya, slightly nervously.

Hideki opened his door and stepped out of his apartment because he was trying to debate whether or not he was hearing familiar voices coming from Miss Hibiya's. He peaked in the window and saw Ueda-san talking to Miss Hibiya.

His heart immediately sank in his chest, confused about what he'd just saw. Even though the two of them were just talking, Hideki couldn't help but think of the possibilities, since both Miss Hibiya and Ueda-san seemed to be single.

_How could this be,_ Hideki thought, as he sank to the ground, staring up into the cold, dark sky.

R & R :D


	7. Chapter 7

Just the sight of Ueda-san with someone else made Hideki feel as if he were being slowly tortured, prolonging his agony. Every single short second he had seen them standing together in Miss Hibiya's apartment was the cause of a much further and longer pain than it had to be. Hideki didn't even have the will to move, so he sat motionless outside in the dark.

Within a few minutes, a tow truck with flashing orange lights pulled up to the car parked across the street. Ueda-san stepped outside, not even noticing Hideki who was sitting just a few feet away, and met the truck driver.

Hideki was so confused that he gave up trying to figure out what was going on. He managed to get up and go inside, but couldn't even handle being conscious for a moment longer, so he fell face down onto his bed and passed out fully dressed.

In the next unit over, Miss Hibiya was contemplating the unexpected visit she received from Hideki's secret crush. She didn't know whether or not to tell Hideki that she'd met him.

_I wonder if Hideki is still awake. I'd better just check, just in case,_ thought the landlady.

Miss Hibiya went outside and noticed that the boy's light was still on. She knocked on the door, but didn't hear a response. Hideki wasn't generally one to leave lights on when he was out, so the woman proceeded to open the unlocked door, calling:

"Anybody home? Hideki?"

Miss Hibiya was starting to get worried, as she continued walking through Hideki's apartment. She turned the corner and saw Hideki. She gasped and ran over to him.

Her first thought was: _Oh my gosh is he_ _dead!?_

She touched his neck and it felt warm, as she felt his pulse.

_Thank God, _Miss Hibiya sighed, as she sat there next to him, not knowing what to do._  
_

Hideki's shoes were still on, so she took them off and put them next to his bed. Then, she took a blanket from a shelf across the room and spread it over the sleeping boy. It was apparent that Hideki wasn't well. His face wasn't that of a peacefully sleeping person. He looked lifeless, which was part of the reason why Miss Hibiya thought he was dead; the way he was laying there, it seemed unnatural.

Since she was so concerned about her tenant, Miss Hibiya stayed there next to him until the morning. She'd fallen asleep on a chair she'd moved into the bedroom from the kitchen.

As Hideki opened his eyes early the next morning, he saw her resting, and was again, stricken with more confusion. He was silent.

Miss Hibiya heard Hideki begin to stir, since she had been sleeping fairly lightly that night, and got up, moving her chair over to the teen's bedside.

"Hideki, I apologize for coming in unannounced, but I felt like I should tell you something."

After seeing what he saw the previous night, Hideki had a good feeling about what Miss Hibiya was going to say. He shut his eyes and laid back onto his pillows, sighing.

"What was Ueda-san doing here last night?" He asked, bluntly, with a hopeless expression stricken across his pallid face.

"That's what I was going to tell you about. He's not dating me. Take a deep breath. I had a hunch that you'd have found out that he came by, somehow. I didn't know he was your boss at first," replied Miss Hibiya, softly. "I was just getting home, when a car pulled over to the side of the road across the street. Ueda-san who I'd never met before, came over to ask to borrow my phone. So, I let him wait inside until the tow truck came to pick up his car to bring it to a place the flat tire could be fixed."

As Miss Hibiya explained what had happened, Hideki sat up, and the color was returning to his face.

"Is that really true!?" Exclaimed the boy.

"Yes," Miss Hibiya smiled. "And he noticed the flowers you'd brought me. Thank you for those, by the way. He asked me where I got them, like he recognized them, and then I told him they were from you. I told him that you live here, and he told me about how you work for him. He was so polite and nice, Hideki. I can see why you're attracted to him."

"Miss Hibiya, you're the best!" Hideki said, lively, giving her a hug.

(A/N): Please R & R ~Things are looking up for our characters… but will it last? Read more to find out!~


	8. Chapter 8

It was Friday morning, and Miss Hibiya had just left, now that she was more comfortable knowing that Hideki was alright.

The teen still had school, but this was his final day of classes before testing. Starting Monday, it was exam week.

As he was walking to school, Hideki thought of how quickly time had crept up on him, and how he had hopes of finally being able to get into college.

_After these tests are over, I'll have the rest of spring and summer off, so I can work at Chiroru, provided I score sufficiently enough to pass, _thought the boy, as he reached his destination.

His teacher, Ms Shimizu, always provided her students with ample amounts of material to study from in order to succeed. She was young, and many often mistook her for a student, herself. The only thing that physically differed her from her students was her attire. She always dressed in a woman's business suit, with a jacket and a skirt, with a pair of high heels. She kept her straight brown hair fairly short, which also seemed to give her a more mature look. Other than that, she didn't look a day older than twenty at most.

"Good luck to all of you on your exams next week! I have confidence that you'll all do fine. Those of you that may have slacked a little too much; you know who you are." Said Ms Shimizu, as she glanced at the faces in the classroom. "For those of you who have done your best work during the past several months, I don't want you to push yourself studying over the weekend. It can wear you out if you over think the material. Just relax, eat well, and go to bed at a decent time," said Miss Shimizu, closing her last lecture of the day.

When the bell rang, Hideki got up and threw his backpack over his shoulder. He thanked his teacher before leaving the room.

"I wanted to thank you for all the work you've put into teaching the class and I. I hope I do well on my tests. I know I've never gotten great grades, but they've started to improve at least a little bit after studying all the fact sheets you gave us," said Hideki, respectfully.

"You are one of the hardest working students I've had, Hideki. Just the fact that you're not absorbed into the teenage party lifestyle that the majority of people your age partake in, tells me that you're really a great young man. I hope you realize that," said Ms Shimizu. "Good luck, Hideki."

Hideki bowed his head in thanks, and then took his leave.

_That's the third adult to tell me how "good" I am. First it was Ueda-san, then Miss Hibiya, and then Miss Shimizu. I must be doing something right, but somehow I've never managed to have a girlfriend, not that I'd want one, but still. I've never been interested in anyone in particular, except for Ueda-san, and he's a man, _thought Hideki, as he walked.

It was the afternoon now, and since he hadn't been able to stop into Chiroru the previous day, he decided to pay Ueda-san a visit.

The sidewalks were getting crowded, as it was a Friday, and most people were getting out of school and work. Chiroru was surprisingly not jam-packed full of people like it usually was by this time of day.

When Hideki walked in, there were a few customers browsing, while waiting to he helped, but it was nothing in comparison to the massive sea of people that were there the day when even Ueda-san and Hideki together, could hardly keep up.

When everyone cleared out, Hideki and Ueda-san sat down behind the counter.

"I have an interesting little story to tell you," said Ueda-san, receiving a nod from Hideki.

"I ran into your landlady yesterday on my way home. My tire went flat, and she was the only person around, so I asked her if I could borrow her phone. I didn't know she was your landlady until she told me that you were the one who brought her the flowers that were outside her door," said Ueda-san.

Still slightly uneasy on the subject, Hideki said, "It's a small world, isn't it?"

"It certainly can be. Actually, what I never realized, was that you live on your own, don't you?" Asked Ueda-san.

"Yes. I know I'm fairly young to be completely independent, but since I wanted to start my life by getting an education, I had to move to the city," responded Hideki, lightly blushing.

Ueda-san didn't ask anything else, because he didn't know what else to say.

A customer walked in, breaking the silence that fell over the conversation that Ueda-san and Hideki were having.

It was Miss Hibiya.

"Hello boys," she smiled. "I figured it was about time I tried this bakery."

"Good afternoon, Miss Hibiya," said Hideki.

"It's nice to see you again, Miss," said Ueda-san.

"Did you manage to get your car fixed?" Miss Hibiya asked.

"Yes. It was done this morning, so I picked it up right before coming to work. Thank you again for letting me borrow your phone. As my way of saying thanks, you can pick out anything you'd like from these cases," said the baker.

"Oh, thank you! There are so many pastries to choose from," exclaimed Miss Hibiya, beginning to look through the glass, as a chiffon cake caught her eye.

Hideki was sitting closer to it, so he reached into the display case with a piece of wax paper, and placed the cake in a box.

"Here you go," said Hideki, as he handed the cake to his landlady.

"Thank you both so much," said the cheerful woman. "I'll be sure to let you know how delicious it was after I try it later."

Miss Hibiya made her way to the door and said, "Bye, and thanks again!" As Hideki and Ueda-san waved to her.

"I guess I should get going too, but it was great talking to you, Ueda-san!" Said Hideki, happily.

"Stop by anytime, I'm always here," replied Ueda-san, as he walked with Hideki to the door.

"Have a good rest of your night," said Hideki.

"You too, Hideki," said his boss, giving him a pat on the back.

Hideki walked past the rest of the shops on that side of the street, remembering how nice it felt when Ueda-san touched him. Then he crossed to go to the corner bookstore, closer to his apartment. He wanted to pick up something to read for the weekend.

Inside, there were a group of guys from the cram school. Most of them were huddled around one section of the store.

At first, he wanted to know what their fascination was about, but he quickly put two and two together, realizing that all they were doing was looking at porno magazines filled with naked women from cover to cover.

Hideki sighed, and left the bookstore after not being able to find anything that even remotely peaked his interest.

R & R please!


	9. Chapter 9

After closing Chiroru for the evening, Ueda-san went home. He was tired from the week, as usual. He took a deep breath when he sat down on his couch. The only thing he ever did was work.

Ueda-san didn't even turn on the TV. The baker sat there, thinking. Glancing up at the clock, it was only six thirty.

The apartment was very spacious. It was fairly clean as well. He'd worked his way up to having the nicest place he could afford. Since Chiroru did so well with reeling in big profits for Ueda-san, he was able to live quite comfortably on his own.

There were two bedrooms, two full baths, one of which he didn't even need, an office where he managed the business aspect of the patisserie, a grand room with a spacious kitchen for cooking and baking, a dining area with a large wooden table, and a living area. There were skylights in most of the rooms as well.

Outside, there was a large balcony with a view of the entire city. Ueda-san had the top floor.

He got up and went out onto the balcony, leaning against the metal railing, watching the sun go down. The sky turned from orange to pink, and lastly to violet, before it was dark.

By that time, Ueda-san could see the familiar twinkling of the lights from all the buildings at night. He went back inside, and into the bathroom.

There was a full-sized jacuzzi, which he turned on, letting the water fill up. The sound of the running liquid was such a nice change of pace. Instead of all the noise outside, all Ueda-san could hear was the stream of hot water coming out of the faucet.

The tall, well-built man began taking off his clothes. He always changed into plain, casual attire before leaving the bakery, so he had on jeans and a yellow T-shirt.

First, he took off his shirt, revealing his long, muscular torso. Then, he pulled his pants down, exposing very sturdy legs.

Lastly, he took off his underwear. He was wearing tight red shorts that stretched over his manhood creating a pronounced bulge.

As Ueda-san stepped into the steamy water, he relaxed, and leaned back onto one of the slanted sides of the hot tub. He sat there for a few more minutes, getting used to the temperature, before turning on the jets.

Once the water got moving, creating bubbles and little currents, Ueda-san began to awaken his lengthy member.

He touched it gently, running his fingers underneath the shaft, as he then felt it rapidly start to grow, wrapping a strong right hand around it. As the man's thickness hardened in his hand, he started pumping it.

Closing his eyes, Ueda-san moved a little faster. He was enveloped in the heat from both the water and his own ministrations.

All he did was pant and grunt tenderly, making little splashes here and there from the quick, short movements of his arm, allowing his hand to create the tightness and the movements he seemed to be longing for.

Ueda-san continued, thrusting his painfully large erection into his hand, starting to get closer to an intense climax. His breaths got rough as he let out even louder and more forceful throaty noises.

The feeling of water, especially since it was at a high temperature, was inevitably helping to speed up the process. The man was very close now, and he tightened his firm grip around the hardened length, clamping his eyes shut.

With a few final and strong thrusts, Ueda-san met his release. A thick stream of hot semen erupted from the man's penis into the water, as he threw his head back in uttermost ecstasy.

After relaxing a bit more, letting himself come down from his self-stimulated orgasm, Ueda-san got out of the jacuzzi. He noticed that there was still some cum dripping out of his tip, so he licked it off of his finger, tasting himself.

Please R & R!


	10. Chapter 10

When Hideki's dull, uneventful weekend was over, it was officially the start of a long and mentally tiring week.

Monday morning, he got up and picked out his clothes, finding his usual denim and a sweatshirt. He gathered all the testing materials he needed; with his fingers crossed that he didn't forget anything. He had his calculator, pencils, pens, and erasers. The boy left his apartment ten minutes earlier than usual, so he could stop for a coffee before the exam. Although Hideki didn't usually drink caffeinated beverages on a daily basis, he knew it wouldn't be a bad idea to have one before taking what proved to be one of the longest tests of his career as a student.

He was passing Chiroru, when Ueda-san was just arriving for the day. The baker was unlocking the door when he turned his head, noticing the familiar face of his friendly employee.

"Good morning Ueda-san!" Hideki said, immediately perking up at the sight of his favorite man.

"Morning, Hideki," Ueda-san smiled. "You're out early today," he added.

"I have the first of my entrance exams, so I'm going to get a fresh coffee," said Hideki.

"Oh yeah, that's right!" Ueda-san remembered. "Just do your best, and that's all that counts."

"I'm not too worried about it, I just hope I don't fall asleep," the boy joked. "H-hey, do you wanna come get coffee too?" Hideki asked, with a slight quiver of nervousness in his voice. He pointed at the cafe across the street.

"Uh, sure, Why not?" responded Ueda-san, putting his keys back in his pocket.

The two of them went across the street and sat down at a table near a window after ordering their coffee. At first, neither of them had anything pertinent to say, but then a bell rang at the counter, so Ueda-san got up, bringing back both his and Hideki's drinks.

"Oh, thank you," said Hideki, cheerfully, as his handsome boss placed the hot beverage in front of him.

"No problem. Both of ours were ready at the same time," he replied, taking his first sip.

"I got french vanilla," said Hideki. "What did you get in yours?"

"I got a mocha. I'm sometimes not sure what to have, but these always seem to be pretty good," answered Ueda-san.

After a couple of more minutes went by, Hideki looked down at his wristwatch. "I've got to get going now, Ueda-san. It was nice to meet up with you this morning, though!" he added, trying to hide the blush that was forming across his cheeks.

"Good luck, Hideki!" Said Ueda-san, giving his employee an encouraging smile.

"Thanks!" The boy said, turning, as he hustled out the door.

The baker sat there at the window, finishing his coffee. He looked up at the sky, noticing the grey clouds beginning to roll in. Ueda-san took a deep breath when he was finished, and then got up.

At school, Hideki found his seat. Miss Shimizu had placed name cards on each desk in the classroom, so that all the students would be in alphabetical order while taking the first test.

About two hours into the exam, Hideki started thinking about his time with Ueda-san earlier that morning. He knew he had to concentrate on the test that was in front of him, but it was so difficult to. It seemed unimportant. He valued Ueda-san much higher than pretty much everything else he had going on in his life.

School, work, and his apartment, were Hideki's primary focuses, but when he thought of Ueda-san, he went to far beyond those items; a whole new area of thinking and feeling. The boy even knew what it was, but he didn't want to confront his boss about it. He didn't know what to do, because he still had no idea what Ueda-san would think, or how he would react, of course, to confessing his feelings for him.

To Hideki, not knowing what was going on inside Ueda-san's mind was causing him so much internal confusion and pain. He hadn't been able to pick up on anything Ueda-san had said or done that could potentially suggest that he felt the same way for him.

Even though Hideki felt like crying, he couldn't. It was all on the inside. The thoughts he had about his boss were just as tension-filled as his conversations with him in real life.

Realizing he'd let his attention stray from the exam for too long, Hideki resumed his intent concentration, so that he could score as best he could.

When the test was finally over, everyone in the class got up and were stretching their arms and legs after sitting for so many hours. Hideki looked out the window, as the sky was now filled with dark storm clouds.

"Thank you all for your patience and cooperation," Miss Shimizu announced. "Make sure to get home safely. The forecast says its supposed to get very windy, and the rain might not stop until midday tomorrow. I'll see you in the morning," she said, as the students were packing up to leave.

It started raining as Hideki was walking home.

(A/N): Thank you so much to Hylianshadow86 and KikkyChan for the support and encouragement you've given me throughout this story.


	11. Chapter 11

The sky got darker as the storm started to pick up. Hideki's feet were getting wet, and he didn't even have an umbrella.

As much as he didn't want to inconvenience Ueda-san from work, he darted into Chiroru, soaked through to the bone. Ueda-san saw Hideki, and then found him a towel as fast as he could.

"Man, you're drenched!" Said Ueda-san, handing the boy a cloth to dry his face with.

"Thanks," responded Hideki. "I got caught in the rain as soon as I started my walk home. Again, I'm sorry to bother y-"

"No, don't worry about it, Hideki. I'm glad you stopped here; look at it out there!"

By now, it was down pouring, and the streets were becoming channels for the buildup of water.

"I don't want you to catch a cold. I have a clean change of clothes in the back, so you're welcome to borrow them," offered Ueda-san.

Hideki turned red at the baker's kind gesture, he directed him to a space near the back door in the kitchen.

"Uh, sure. Thank you, Ueda-san," said the slightly embarrassed boy.

When Hideki was finished changing out of his dripping wet clothes and into Ueda-san's, he came back out of the kitchen.

The baker shyly chuckled as he noticed that the slightly smaller boy had cuffed up the bottoms of his pant legs, and rolled up the long, loose sleeves of the shirt.

"I didn't realize how big they'd be on you," said Ueda-san, who still appeared to be amused by the sight.

"At least I'm not soaking wet now," said Hideki. "I've never heard you laugh before," he added, introducing a new thought.

"Please forgive me if I offended you, but I just couldn't help it," replied Ueda-san.

"No, it was good to hear you laugh! You should do more of it," said Hideki, starting to smile warmly.

"You should try doing it more often too," Ueda-san reminded him. "How was your exam today, by the way?"

"Oh, it wasn't quite as difficult as I'd originally thought it was going to be, but I have such a hard time focusing. Its not easy to chase away all the day dreams I have, whether they're good or bad," answered Hideki.

"Ah, I see," said Ueda-san, thinking. "Can't keep all those pretty girls out of your head, can you?"

Hideki didn't know what to say, as his facial expression sank slightly.

"What's the matter, Hideki?" Ueda-san asked.

"Nothing. I-I was just wondering how long this rain is going to keep coming down for," said Hideki, glancing towards the window.

"Oh yeah, don't you need to get home at some point?" Asked the baker.

"Yes, I'm hoping the rain will let up so I can walk. Otherwise I'll just have to get soaking wet again," Hideki answered.

"If you wait a few minutes, I can give you a ride home if you'd like. I just have to clean everything up and close the store," suggested Ueda-san.

"You already lent me your clothes; you don't have to drive me-"

"Hideki, its no trouble at all, as long as I don't get anymore flat tires," Ueda-san joked.

"Alright, thank you," said Hideki, appreciatively.

Ueda-san and Hideki started tidying up the patisserie and putting everything away for the evening. The boy tried to lift a heavy pile of metal baking pans, not realizing how difficult it would be for him.

"Careful," Ueda-san said, taking half of the stack from Hideki, who was struggling with the weight.

"Whew, thanks," Hideki said, taking a breath.

When they were all done, Ueda-san grabbed his umbrella, and opened the door to put it up.

"Can you make sure that's locked?" The pastry chef said, handing Hideki the keys.

Hideki took the keys and shut the door, hearing the click of the lock as he turned the key. Then, Ueda-san gently motioned for Hideki to walk under the umbrella with him.

Hideki couldn't help but let his imagination wander happily as he and his handsome boss walked closely together in the rain. At least to him, it felt romantic.

R & R !


	12. Chapter 12

Hideki thanked Ueda-san, before getting out of the car and running through the torrents of rain pouring down on the hard cement. He glanced back once he was under the porch roof, noticing that the baker was already out of sight. The boy clenched his fist tightly against his chest.

_I wish it could just be easier and I could just tell him how I feel, without the weight of the fear of not knowing how he'll react. I just don't know. I want to feel more confident, but Ueda-san and I have never been anything more than co-workers. I don't even know his first name._

The thoughts Hideki was having were simple and clear, but he couldn't physically do anything about them. He was yet to be sure whether or not Ueda-san was even into guys.

When Hideki went inside, he was still dressed in his boss's clothes, so he went into his bedroom to change. He put them in the wash, along with his damp jeans and shirt from before. Since his next exam was scheduled for the following day, he ate some of the leftover chicken for dinner, and then winded down for the evening. It continued to rain heavily until after Hideki had dosed off.

The early rays of sunlight penetrated the blinds of all of the easterly-facing windows of the apartment building. The sky had cleared up, and the scattered patches of grass and gardens surrounding the nearby buildings were all a lush green.

When Hideki woke up, he was glad that the sun was finally out. He opened the large glass door that led out to his small balcony to let in some fresh air. He made himself pancakes and bacon for breakfast, since he responsibly went to bed on time.

After he was done, the boy started his morning constitutional; the walk to school. He passed by Chiroru, planning on returning the clothes that Ueda-san lent him, but he hadn't arrived yet.

_I wonder where Ueda-san is. He's usually here by now, _Hideki thought, as he continued walking.

At school, the students proceeded with the same routine as they had done the previous day. Several hours of sitting at a desk answering various questions that would apparently determine the level of preparedness of Hideki and the rest of his classmates for college. Hideki was having an easier time concentrating unlike the first day, but unfortunately he found the test to be remarkably more difficult.

Every time he felt like his shoulders were tensing up, he was relieved by glancing out the second story window, with a broad view of the bright blue sky. He didn't need more than a glance to remind him that a beautiful afternoon was waiting for him.

When the exam was finally over, Hideki made his way to the door as fast as he could. Once he was outside, he decided to go for a walk.

This time, instead of walking home, Hideki went in the other direction. It led him into one of the busier areas of the city. Out of the several months he'd already been living in the metropolis, the boy had only visited the true downtown area a few times.

There were mobs of people forming around food stands eating ice cream and conversing loudly; standing on long, quickly moving lines. The street wrapped around a big plaza where all the vendors were selling objects such as novelty sunglasses and hats. In the center, there was a beautiful fountain that must've been circulating at least a couple hundred gallons of water. On the wide, bench-like edge running the entire circumference of the fount, couples and families sat there talking, eating lunch, and even making wishes, tossing pennies into the water.

Off to the side slightly, Hideki spotted a young man and a young woman holding each others' hands. They were resting on a small bench in the shade of a tree; to Hideki, creating a vague image that appeared to him as if there was a large umbrella over them. It reminded him of when he and Ueda-san were walking in the rain together. He watched as they smiled at one another; their eyes fixated on nothing else but their own special moment, as they gently kissed.

After a mere few seconds, Hideki had to turn away. He could see how happy they were, and he just couldn't bear the sight.

He wanted to be happy, he wanted to be kissed, he wanted someone to share precious little moments with, but the only person it truly felt right to imagine himself being with was Ueda-san. He knew there were lots of other attractive people in the world, and he could find some if he chose to, but Hideki saw doing that as a waste of his time. He knew what he wanted, but he didn't know whether or not Ueda-san longed for him in the same way. He didn't even have much of an inkling as to what the man thought of him, or if he meant anything more than just a good employee.

Hideki started back in the direction towards Chiroru. Tears were beginning to form in his eyes that he couldn't stop. He just wanted to see Ueda-san. He knew he'd most likely never accomplish anything more than a friendly business relationship when he stopped by the patisserie, but just seeing Ueda-san was Hideki's way of being closer to him.

As the boy approached Chiroru, he'd found his composure. He was ready to break the ice to start a nice conversation with Ueda-san by returning his clothes to him, when just before opening the door, Hideki saw Ueda-san and another man laughing and smiling together in front of the counter. He didn't know what was going on, but he was still too fragile from before to think anything but what first came to his mind. He backed up and ran home, even more confused and upset.

(A/N): Please let me know what you think so far.

-Angelic Land


	13. Chapter 13

(A/N): To my lovely readers, I am very sorry. This chapter took way too long for me to finally get around to finishing, but don't lose hope! The story must go on! I need encouragement so all thoughts and comments are much appreciated.

Ueda-san didn't even notice Hideki at the door. He looked up, thinking he'd heard someone coming in, but the boy was quick on his feet to flee the misunderstood situation.

Hideki couldn't even know for sure that what he saw was anything for him to be concerned about. First of all, Hideki really didn't know for sure if Ueda-san was interested in men, and secondly, he didn't seem like the kind of person who had time for romance in his life.

_But what if he's beginning to find the time? _Hideki panicked, as he arrived at the apartment building.

The boy was out of breath, and devastated by the possible outcomes of where Ueda-san stood.

_Why does this hurt so much? _Thought Hideki, letting his eyes overflow with tears.

He went inside and emptied his backpack, which still held Ueda-san's outfit. The boy made himself a cup of hot tea, and sat down at his small breakfast counter. He was thinking about going to see Miss Hibiya, but he didn't think there was anything she could really do to help him.

_What if Ueda-san really is dating someone else now, _the boy thought. _He said he was divorced, but that doesn't mean he_ _hasn't yet found someone else._

Hideki was starting to get paranoid and by instinctively imagining the worst case scenario, he was doing himself a huge disservice, whether he was aware of it or not. The frantic boy took a sip of tea, trying to calm down to get his heart rate back down to normal.

For the rest of the week, Hideki distracted himself from thinking about Ueda-san by walking a different route to school, and focusing even harder on the last few of his entrance exams. By Friday afternoon, the worn out teenager wanted to collapse from exhaustion.

Letting his guard down due to how tired he was, Hideki hadn't realized he'd forgotten to avoid passing Chiroru on his way home from school. A knot began to form in his stomach, as he turned the corner, and to his surprise, Ueda-san stepped outside. The baker took a breath of fresh air, but then noticed Hideki approaching.

"Hideki! How've you been? I haven't seen you in a few days," Ueda-san exclaimed.

Hideki straightened up, instantly growing nervous, as he tried to plaster a cheerful look on his face.

"Ueda-san, its good to see you," the boy said, his voice trailing off into a whisper towards the end.

He attempted to try, but even Ueda-san was starting to see through his falsely optimistic front. The boy was clearly exhausted, and it was from transferring a lot of energy into focusing on his studies instead of dwelling on his secretive feelings for the older man. Now that cram school was officially over, Hideki was left with mentally confronting the fact that he really was in love with Ueda-san, and no distraction to temporarily divert his attention. He looked physically wiped out.

"Are you alright? Hideki?" Asked the baker, after receiving no response from the sad-eyed boy.

Hideki apologized, and said "I have to go!"

The boy didn't want Ueda-san to see him cry, so he took off down the sidewalk in the other direction at a blurring pace. The man didn't know what to do, and before he could even make a rational decision on what to do, Hideki was already out of hearing distance.

While he was running, Hideki was blinded with heavy tears. All he could feel was the immense internal pressure building within him that not knowing what to do about having such strong; such sure feelings for the baker, his boss, and bearing the weight of the realistic possibility that he wouldn't have reciprocal feelings. Even beyond that, he couldn't imagine what he would do if Ueda-san never wanted to talk to him again after knowing the level of magnitude of what he truly felt for him. Hideki knew he wanted to be involved with Ueda-san romantically, but he couldn't stand the thought of not having him in his life at all, so to at least keep him as a friend, or as his boss, would be better than nothing.

Now, it all depended on what was going on in Ueda-san's head, and how he felt; if he'd even thought of the possibility that Hideki could have such a gravitational crush on him, never mind simply just a light one. The problem was getting to the point of accomplishing whatever it was going to take to get to the right moment, the right time, and the right place, both in which and at which Hideki could finally be able to confess his love to the man, and at least have a better understanding of where he stood in reference to determining how prepared he was to know. It was an agonizing process to go through, and Hideki didn't even know if Ueda-san really was gay or not.

In his trapped, painful state of haste, the boy wasn't thinking about paying attention to where he was going, and tripped over a section of cement that wasn't level with the rest of the pavement. His foot caught the bump, causing the sudden jolt to send him flying forwards several feet. The boy violently hit the ground before he could even put out his arms to brake his fall.

R & R!


	14. Chapter 14

A few moments later, a trickle of blood had begun to form a small red pool around the boy's head. He was laying face-down with his backpack still clinging to his body.

Luckily, someone in a nearby store noticed the accident, and phoned for an ambulance. Ueda-san was inside cleaning as he watched it go by, flashing its lights and sounding the alarm sirens so other drivers in the road would clear a path. The last thing he could have imagined was that it was Hideki who had been injured.

By the time the ambulance reached the boy, a handful of pedestrians had formed a crowd, and someone was trying to get him to wake up.

The emergency medical technicians in the ambulance managed to clean off some of the blood on and around Hideki's head to get an idea of how serious his wounds were. It didn't appear that he'd severely broken any bones. Since no one at the time of the accident actually knew who this boy was, they found his identification through searching his backpack for his wallet.

"Hideki Motosuwa," said one of the EMTs.

She did a quick search on the name, and was able to confirm that he had no known family in the area.

"He's only nineteen, and a student, but it looks like he's living on his own," she added.

When Hideki was finally coming up to the instant of awakening, he opened his eyes and noticed that he was in the emergency room. It was quiet, and he was in an uncomfortable bed near the window. There was no one in the room except for a nurse standing by the door. She turned around, realizing that the boy had woken up.

"Hello there, I'm Noemi."

Hideki smiled weakly, as he begun to realize how much pain he was in.

"Try not to move, if possible. You don't have any broken bones, but you lost a lot of blood."

There were bandages wrapped around his head, his arms, and neck.

"How long have I been out?" Asked Hideki.

"Only for about two hours," the nurse said, looking up at the clock on the wall.

"Who brought me here?"

"I'm not sure. We got an emergency call from a witness and sent the ambulance right away. I don't believe it was anyone you knew. Usually in situations like this, it's a good thing that there are people out there that don't turn their heads and look away when they see someone in danger," said Noemi.

"I don't really know that many people in this city," Hideki said, weakly. "School and work have always kept me very busy," he added.

"Can I get you anything while I'm here?" Asked the woman?

"No thanks," said the injured boy."Do you have any idea how long I'll be here?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. Probably just one night, as long as your closed wounds stay intact by tomorrow afternoon. I wouldn't look at them now, but you've got twelve stitches in your head, five on your neck, and seven on your left arm. We want to keep an eye on you to make sure there isn't any internal bleeding," informed Noemi.

Hideki's eyes widened in surprise. "That many, huh? I didn't realize I'd taken such a heavy fall."

The nurse was filling out more paperwork as she and the boy were talking. "Get some rest, and the doctor will be in to see you in the morning. If you need anything at all, just let me know. That button next to you is what you can use to call one of us."

"Thanks," Hideki said, as his nurse took her leave.

After getting used to his new surroundings, Hideki remembered what he was actually thinking about prior to his fall.

_Ueda-san... I wish you were here with me. There's really nothing else I could ask for as long as I had you with me, _Hideki thought.

Silent tears began running down the lonely boy's cheeks, as he sat there in his hospital bed. _Why does this have to hurt so much? Here I am; stitches in three different parts of my body, and all I feel is the pain in my heart. _

The teenage boy had never felt such clear, true feelings before. He knew what he wanted to have in order to fill the empty void in him, yet he didn't even know where to begin. It felt as if there was no way to do anything about his feelings, and in truth, there really wasn't.

_I love you, Ueda-san. I wish I knew how to tell you._

Hideki clenched his eyes shut, tears still trying to escape, as he forced himself to sleep.

R & R!


End file.
